Stretch Marks!!

[skandalous]

i would not recommend wasting your money on trilastin i used it religiously everyday 3 times a day massaged it in just like the instructions say and was even using the dermaroller. I did not see ANY improvement in my stretchmarks but i did get two new ones. trilastin not only claims it will remove existing stretchmarks but also says it will prevent new ones from forming. Obviously this is not true since i did get new stretchmarks after i had used trilastin. The only thing it really did was moisturize but i dont think i need to spend $120 US for a moisturizer. Needless to say i returned the product but i was out 50 dollars in shipping charges.

[skandalous]

J or anyone else who is using TCA,

I purchased TCA from platinum skin care and used it just a few minutes ago. Its my first time ever doing a chemical peel so i am a bit weary since i did read that if used incorrectly it will lead to scaring i already have dreadful stretchmarks so don't want to make them worse by burning my skin. i purchased 30% TCA and dipped a cotton swap in it and rubbed it into 2 of my stretchmarks that are about 2 inches long and about 1 cm wide. I put a layer on and it did start to burn/tingle i left it on for about 5 minutes then rinsed off with cold water. I did not see any frosting and the skin looks the same not red or anything did i do something wrong? Also J are you using the copper lotion as well with the TCA? i only purchased the TCA and emu oil do i need to get the copper as well?

[Guest]

J or anyone else who is using TCA,

I purchased TCA from platinum skin care and used it just a few minutes ago. Its my first time ever doing a chemical peel so i am a bit weary since i did read that if used incorrectly it will lead to scaring i already have dreadful stretchmarks so don't want to make them worse by burning my skin. i purchased 30% TCA and dipped a cotton swap in it and rubbed it into 2 of my stretchmarks that are about 2 inches long and about 1 cm wide. I put a layer on and it did start to burn/tingle i left it on for about 5 minutes then rinsed off with cold water. I did not see any frosting and the skin looks the same not red or anything did i do something wrong? Also J are you using the copper lotion as well with the TCA? i only purchased the TCA and emu oil do i need to get the copper as well?

You may need to apply another layer, you really want frosting if its only two marks you are doing. However I would say that if you don't want them to look any worse then maybe using tca is not for you, I am afraid that acid do make marks look worse for a long time before they look better. There is no nice easy way of removing them using acids, its a case of bite the bullet.

I would also suggest you dilute it down to around 20% and work up from there. After you get frosting wash off and keep that marks very well moisturised until they have peeled. Take vits too to aid repair and wait at least 6 weeks before you repeel those particular marks.

J

[Guest]

i would not recommend wasting your money on trilastin i used it religiously everyday 3 times a day massaged it in just like the instructions say and was even using the dermaroller. I did not see ANY improvement in my stretchmarks but i did get two new ones. trilastin not only claims it will remove existing stretchmarks but also says it will prevent new ones from forming. Obviously this is not true since i did get new stretchmarks after i had used trilastin. The only thing it really did was moisturize but i dont think i need to spend $120 US for a moisturizer. Needless to say i returned the product but i was out 50 dollars in shipping charges.

Thanks for the heads up on Trilasatin & sorry it didn't work for you.....have you also used copper peptide cream? Why are you getting new sms? Are you putting on weight?

[Guest]

No, it is not the same. You can get a lot of information on http://www.beautytek.ca

Isn't Beutytek similar to Eporex? They use electric current to pass nutrients through the skin. I've had a whole course of such treatments (plus an extra session as a gift) last year and the results were ZERO...

[Tracy212]

New Stretch Mark Treatment Info.....

I was watching WBAL-TV 11 News in Baltimore this morning and they routinely do a piece called "Woman's Doctor". Today's topic was about using fat from one part of the body to inject into the face. It was about a 5 minute story where a doctor talks about the procedure and shows pictures, etc. At the very end of the piece, the reporter said to the doctor something like, "I understand you also have a new treatment for stretch marks". He said yes! By the way, this was unrelated to the fat injecting story.

He only spoke about the stretch mark topic for about 45 seconds. He started by saying he wishes he could totally prevent stretch marks, but since he can't, he said he is using a machine that pushes collagen into the mark. He said it takes a couple of months to see the result, but that it smooths out the scar. He did not say what the machine was called and he did not show any pictures. He also didn't say which kind of stretch marks this was used for or if it was for all kinds. His name is Dr. Craig Vander Kolk and he is at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Before anyone goes off on this.....I am not recommending this procedure and I am in no way affiliated with the doctor or Mercy Medical Center. I am simply passing along info that I was lucky enough to have caught on the morning news!!!

My plan.....I'm going to wait about 6 months or so and then go see this guy. It sounded like he just started doing this procedure, so I want to make sure he has some real results before I soak more money into another treatment. Also, *if* it really works, we'll all hear about it sooner than later.

Maybe this year will be our year for some sort of "cure"!

Tracy

[Haveachat]

Sorry, that last comment was from myself, I forgot to post my username.
Thanks again.

[skandalous]

i would not recommend wasting your money on trilastin i used it religiously everyday 3 times a day massaged it in just like the instructions say and was even using the dermaroller. I did not see ANY improvement in my stretchmarks but i did get two new ones. trilastin not only claims it will remove existing stretchmarks but also says it will prevent new ones from forming. Obviously this is not true since i did get new stretchmarks after i had used trilastin. The only thing it really did was moisturize but i dont think i need to spend $120 US for a moisturizer. Needless to say i returned the product but i was out 50 dollars in shipping charges.

Thanks for the heads up on Trilasatin & sorry it didn't work for you.....have you also used copper peptide cream? Why are you getting new sms? Are you putting on weight?

hello,

I have not used copper peptide cream. I was wondering if i should . I have no idea why i am getting new stretchmarks. I have never been over weigh i am 5'4 110lbs and have always been thin my entire life. I actually started getting stretchmarks when i was 18-19 i have never been on any sort of medication known to give stretchmarks so at this time its a mystery as to why i got them and why i am getting them. i have gone to the dr. he didnt seem to be too concerned and just told me it was a cosmetic problem. i really would not recommend you bother with trilastin i really think it just a waste. i just purchased TCA so i am going to see how that goes.

[skandalous]

J or anyone else who is using TCA,

I purchased TCA from platinum skin care and used it just a few minutes ago. Its my first time ever doing a chemical peel so i am a bit weary since i did read that if used incorrectly it will lead to scaring i already have dreadful stretchmarks so don't want to make them worse by burning my skin. i purchased 30% TCA and dipped a cotton swap in it and rubbed it into 2 of my stretchmarks that are about 2 inches long and about 1 cm wide. I put a layer on and it did start to burn/tingle i left it on for about 5 minutes then rinsed off with cold water. I did not see any frosting and the skin looks the same not red or anything did i do something wrong? Also J are you using the copper lotion as well with the TCA? i only purchased the TCA and emu oil do i need to get the copper as well?

You may need to apply another layer, you really want frosting if its only two marks you are doing. However I would say that if you don't want them to look any worse then maybe using tca is not for you, I am afraid that acid do make marks look worse for a long time before they look better. There is no nice easy way of removing them using acids, its a case of bite the bullet.

I would also suggest you dilute it down to around 20% and work up from there. After you get frosting wash off and keep that marks very well moisturised until they have peeled. Take vits too to aid repair and wait at least 6 weeks before you repeel those particular marks.

J

Hi J (=

I just looked at the marks again today they look exaclty the same and feel exactly the same as they did before i applied the TCA. I do not see any redness or any other evidence that i even applied acid to it. I am aware that its going to look awful after i do the acid but its the end result i am going for of hopefully having no more stretchmarks or at least making them barely visible. I did the foot file in the past and i saw how the skin looked all scabed over and brown and it took about a month for all the hyper pigmentation to go away and it was itchy all the time. I am really light skinned so the area i did the foot file on looked like i had burned myself with and iron or somthing.

What exactly should i expect after applying the TCA, can you tell me your experience will the skin look the same and then all of a sudden crust over and peel off or will that occur right away?

thanks in advance

[Haveachat]

New Stretch Mark Treatment Info.....

I was watching WBAL-TV 11 News in Baltimore this morning and they routinely do a piece called "Woman's Doctor". Today's topic was about using fat from one part of the body to inject into the face. It was about a 5 minute story where a doctor talks about the procedure and shows pictures, etc. At the very end of the piece, the reporter said to the doctor something like, "I understand you also have a new treatment for stretch marks". He said yes! By the way, this was unrelated to the fat injecting story.

He only spoke about the stretch mark topic for about 45 seconds. He started by saying he wishes he could totally prevent stretch marks, but since he can't, he said he is using a machine that pushes collagen into the mark. He said it takes a couple of months to see the result, but that it smooths out the scar. He did not say what the machine was called and he did not show any pictures. He also didn't say which kind of stretch marks this was used for or if it was for all kinds. His name is Dr. Craig Vander Kolk and he is at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Before anyone goes off on this.....I am not recommending this procedure and I am in no way affiliated with the doctor or Mercy Medical Center. I am simply passing along info that I was lucky enough to have caught on the morning news!!!

My plan.....I'm going to wait about 6 months or so and then go see this guy. It sounded like he just started doing this procedure, so I want to make sure he has some real results before I soak more money into another treatment. Also, *if* it really works, we'll all hear about it sooner than later.

Maybe this year will be our year for some sort of "cure"!

Tracy

Hiya Tracy,
My sincere wishes that this treatment has a great outcome for you.
I live in Aust so probably be a while before the treatment reaches these shores.
You have been posting from way back on this forum havent you? Can you tell me how things are going for you i.e. results from your routines?
Also if any of the old posters are out there, can you give updates on your results?
Appreciated.

[Guest]

Hi J (=

I just looked at the marks again today they look exaclty the same and feel exactly the same as they did before i applied the TCA. I do not see any redness or any other evidence that i even applied acid to it. I am aware that its going to look awful after i do the acid but its the end result i am going for of hopefully having no more stretchmarks or at least making them barely visible. I did the foot file in the past and i saw how the skin looked all scabed over and brown and it took about a month for all the hyper pigmentation to go away and it was itchy all the time. I am really light skinned so the area i did the foot file on looked like i had burned myself with and iron or somthing.

What exactly should i expect after applying the TCA, can you tell me your experience will the skin look the same and then all of a sudden crust over and peel off or will that occur right away?

thanks in advance

hi there,

when i first tried tca i had the exact same experience as you, nothing happened at all. it turns out that i didnt apply anywhere near enough. i thought it was going to burn alot and be very painful so i didnt apply much and consequently nothing happened (exactly the same as your experience). so i tried another area and applied alot more tca. this time i could feel it sting a bit and the area frosted. for me, the area frosts straight away, by the time im washing the tca off (after 3 minutes or so) the area is starting to turn white and then afterwards it continues to turn even whiter. the whiteness stays for a little while but half an hour/hour later the whiteness goes and you should just be left with it looking red (extremely red in my case). it then takes several days for the area to crust over and then starts peeling.

the exact same thing happened to me the first time i did my peel. turns out i just didnt apply enough tca and and so nothing happened. the area you applied the tca to might eventually flake lightly but it will take a long time for it to do tht (just like slightly dry skin). my advice to you would be to try another area and apply more tca. it does sting but to me its just a sign that the stuff is working and doing its job. during the peel my skin goes very red, towards the end of the 3/5 minutes my skin starts to frost (turns white) then i wash the stuff off and it continues to frost until its completely white. the whiteness then goes within the hour and the areais extremely red. then moisturise the area for the next 7-14 days whilst your waiting for the area to peel. this is my experience with tca and this is what should happen for a succesful peel (everybody differs slightly).

hope it works well for you its just not the treatment for me i dont think. ive done 4 treatments in the same area now (done other areas aswell but not as many times) and im not seeing any improvement. to start off with i waited 4 weeks after my first peel then i tried waiting 6 weeks for my other 2 peels and i havent seen any results. ive been left with a dark brown discolouration in the area which im hoping will fade, its been 6 weeks or so since my last peel and its still as brown and discoloured. im not saying this to undermine anybody or dampen peoples hopes im just being honest and telling you all my experience with tca. it used to annoy me when someone would come on here and say that a certain technique hasnt worked for them, especially when i had my hopes up. but now im realising that they were just being honest. i used to feel some people were just being argumentative for the sake of it but now im in their shoes i understand things better.

everyones body is different and if tca is working for some people it might work for you too. the only way you can really find out is if you try it. and i know i havent done a whole lot of peels, but after 4 peels youd expect some improvement at the very least. im just not sure if its even worth it for me to carry on. more treatments will just result in more and more discolouration which may or may not be permanent, but its bad enough as it is already, id have to do lots of more peels if im going to see any improvement at all and the discolouration would be pretty extreme by the time ive seen improvement (if i see improvement). also i dont want to have to go through all that healing and pain for no reason.

good luck for your treatments anyways hope it goes well

thanks

G

[Guest]

J or anyone else who is using TCA,

I purchased TCA from platinum skin care and used it just a few minutes ago. Its my first time ever doing a chemical peel so i am a bit weary since i did read that if used incorrectly it will lead to scaring i already have dreadful stretchmarks so don't want to make them worse by burning my skin. i purchased 30% TCA and dipped a cotton swap in it and rubbed it into 2 of my stretchmarks that are about 2 inches long and about 1 cm wide. I put a layer on and it did start to burn/tingle i left it on for about 5 minutes then rinsed off with cold water. I did not see any frosting and the skin looks the same not red or anything did i do something wrong? Also J are you using the copper lotion as well with the TCA? i only purchased the TCA and emu oil do i need to get the copper as well?

You may need to apply another layer, you really want frosting if its only two marks you are doing. However I would say that if you don't want them to look any worse then maybe using tca is not for you, I am afraid that acid do make marks look worse for a long time before they look better. There is no nice easy way of removing them using acids, its a case of bite the bullet.

I would also suggest you dilute it down to around 20% and work up from there. After you get frosting wash off and keep that marks very well moisturised until they have peeled. Take vits too to aid repair and wait at least 6 weeks before you repeel those particular marks.

J

Hi J (=

I just looked at the marks again today they look exaclty the same and feel exactly the same as they did before i applied the TCA. I do not see any redness or any other evidence that i even applied acid to it. I am aware that its going to look awful after i do the acid but its the end result i am going for of hopefully having no more stretchmarks or at least making them barely visible. I did the foot file in the past and i saw how the skin looked all scabed over and brown and it took about a month for all the hyper pigmentation to go away and it was itchy all the time. I am really light skinned so the area i did the foot file on looked like i had burned myself with and iron or somthing.

What exactly should i expect after applying the TCA, can you tell me your experience will the skin look the same and then all of a sudden crust over and peel off or will that occur right away?

thanks in advance

G is right, tca does not seem to work for everyone, why I have no idea. His description of frosting etc is exactly the same as it occurs on me. I think pre treating with glycolic acid, as has been suggested on here before, (to loosen the epidermis) is a good idea, but perhaps wait until you see if tca brings improvement before forking out any more money. Bear in mind frosting does tend to hurt, so be prepared for a little bit of pain for about 30 mins normally in my case, after which is nuetralises itself and just turns read. The improvements, come bit by bit, I could tell straight away that the marks were better after a peel on me, but it is still a long hard slog trying to actually remove them completely.

Keeping your skin moist is key imo, you must keep it very moist using olive or emu oil or baby oil and preferable keep it moist even after peeling has occured. Taking vits will help too, take large doses of vit c and a normal does of zinc and maybe vit b.

G I hope you find something that brings improvements out there.

J

[Guest]

Hi,

Has anyone tried 100% Emu Oil on any of their stretch marks?

I have been doing EVEN more research on stretch marks (yes, they are on my mind again pretty much 24/7). I came across a reply to someones question about stretch marks. Another user (on another site) said they had stretch marks from a very young age and recently started using Emu Oil on them and it has faded them alot... she wishes she had known about emu oil many years ago.

I've found quite a few reviews about emu oil and stretch marks and not one has been negative. They have all noticed some sort of difference in their stretch marks.

I also found this on an emu oil benefits site:

One of the best ways to diminish the appearance of a scar is to promote new skin cells. As the human body creates healthy skin cells, it sheds dead skin cells. Such is the case for stretch marks, which are developed when the skin is excessively stretched. In order to decrease the appearance of a stretch mark, the body must create healthy new skin cells.

For thousands of years, Australians have used a natural remedy to treat scars and stretch marks. This natural therapeutic treatment is pure emu oil for stretch marks. Although emu oil has now been embraced worldwide for many different conditions, one of it’s most notable usages is to reduce the appearance of scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks.

Pure emu oil for stretch marks relies on natural healing agents found in the emu oil itself. These natural properties include: (EFA) essential fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6, linolenic acid and oleic acid. These ingredients promote healing by deeply penetrating all five of the epidermis layers. As a result, they stimulate cell re-growth, resulting in the shedding of dead skin cells - decreasing the appearance of a stretch mark.

Pure emu oil for stretch marks is a completely safe alternative treatment. It’s benefits are mystifying to some of the most notable scientists and physicians. In Australia, pure emu oil has even been classified as a pharmaceutical product. Studies in North American And European Universities concur that emu oil is a splendid therapeutic treatment. All of these studies verify the legitimacy of emu oil’s healing powers. Pure emu oil for stretch marks is an actual remedy that’s been embraced around the globe. A person can successfully change their physical appearance, should they use pure emu oil for stretch marks.

Stretch marks are quite common in both of the sexes, however, a lot of women report stretch marks after pregnancy. Several different studies have been conducted on women with stretch marks after pregnancy and all of the results were quite similar. Pure emu oil for stretch marks is very beneficial and the appearance of stretch marks were reduced significantly.

http://www.emuoilbenefits.com/stretchmarks

If Emu Oil could make my stretch marks look slightly better then I'd be extremely happy. I get a bit annoyed when I ask about stretch marks and treatments on other sites, and the replies always come back as "ohhh no you cannot get rid of stretch marks"... I KNOW, that isn't what I am asking. I am asking if certain treatments can reduce the look of them, make them fade, make them look less harsh etc. I know they are here to stay but surely there must be something out there that can make them look slightly better!

I remember making a post a few weeks ago saying how my stretch marks weren't getting at me so much and I was starting to feel slightly better. Well, I take that back. I have hit rock bottom again and they are upsetting me something wicked. I am feeling extremely suicidal again and REALLY depressed. I suppose suffering with depression on and off for the apast 10 years isn't helping, but my God... I am the worst I have been in my life.

The ones on my arms are really haunting me. They are stinging again. Oh how I hate that stinging feeling, not because it hurts... but because I know it means something bad, that my stretch marks are getting worse or more are going to appear.
Also the ones on my arms (at the top of my tricep, next to where the arm joins the armpit/shoulder) are really indented, but the ones else where, like on my stomach aren't. They're just white/pale normal skin level (unless I run my finger over them then I can feel the indentation. In my opinion, the ones that look indented look absolutely awful, really noticable

It's getting to the point where I am even considering finishing my relationship with my bf. I have been with him nearly 4 years. I don't see him often (long distance), which is a good thing at the moment because I am just not myself at all. I don't want to end it because I don't love him, because I do, very much so. But because I feel so down and depressed and ugly and disgusting I cannot see me being much company when we do see each other. I will start overdressing to hide the marks (new ones) and I will feel extremely uncomfortable when it comes to bed time. I will end up going to bed in my dressing gown! to hide the marks on my arms. He will wonder why on earth I am sleeping in a night dress and sleeping gown. I wont be able to tell him why, and just look like a freak. If I just let him see the marks, he will be disgusted.

I am in a very bad situation right now. I see no way out... my depression is the worst it's ever been. I have no social life whatsoever anymore. I wont even go to the shops. I'm sleeping for upto 18 hours a day, not because I am tired, but because I make myself. When I am asleep it's the only time my mind is at rest and away from my stretch marks. I hate myself. I can't even bare to have a shower, because that means getting naked and seeing my stretch marks, so my appearance is suffering that way too. So yeah, it's gotten really really very bad. I don't mean to be selfish or sound like I want attention here, because I don't... but honestly, if there was a pill that I could get hold of... that could make me fall asleep and never wake up I would honestly take it. I've been suicidal in the past, through depression... about 10 years ago but that had nothing to do with stretch marks or my appearance, it was for other reasons. I never thought I'd want to die again, but right now it's a very strong feeling in my mind.

I honestly can't even bare the thought of going through the rest of my life feeling/looking like this. But it's true, I will have to, because stretch marks stay forever. I am only 22 and have wasted most of that due to depression and these marks... can I really bare to go on another 50+ years like this? When I get to 40 and look back at my life... what will I think? I will think how I have wasted my one life and I just basically exsisted.

bc8

[Guest]

We are all in the same boat bc8. If you are feeling really depressed like that you should go to the doctor and get some anti depressants, it will give your brain a chance to normalise and your spirits WILL pick up again.

As far as I know emu oil is a carrier and nothing more, though someone may have more info on that.

Don't give up hope girl. I can't remember if you have a routine or not but if you don't then get yourself one asap.

I have them on my arms too, have never been overweight, but I can remember the depression that it caused when I woke up one day and found my arms covered in stretch marks. That was the turning point for me, though I was depressed for months (my partner of the time told me not to worry about them nice guy that he was) it was then that I decided to do something about them. It has taken awhile but I am much happier tackling them than I was ignoring them and though they do control aspects of my life, they do not control my thoughts in a negative way. I remain determined to win this battle and you should get that determination too. Whether it takes months or years, helping yourself is the only answer right now. Don't give up hope.

Take care

J

[Dreaming of Porcelain]

bc8

J is sooo right. I find that I feel better about mine when I'm doing something to improve/remove them - ignoring them will get you no where fast. I've seen more improvement with each fraxel treatment on my arms, so I'm going to keep on going with that.

As far as the depression - when I got to he point where I was avoiding social situations etc an just really feeling awful, I did start seeing a counsellor & still am. I go once or twice a month and I'm finding that to be really helpful - I'll keep going as long as I have to.

I know it just sucks, but you WILL feel much better just knowing that you're doing things to help yourself instead of constantly attacking yourself - trust me.

Question for J: do you wear short sleeved shirts? If you do, how do you "cope" with little nagging thoughts that creep into your head when you see the marks?